Stick and seal insulator

ABSTRACT

A method and a system for reducing energy consumption, preventing excessive humidity and preventing contaminated air. The method includes locating the respective penetrations, applying an insulator sheet across the penetrations and sealing the surface of the sheets around the penetrations. The system includes a set of insulator sheets which prevents or substantially reduces the leakage of treated air from a home or other building through penetrations. Each insulator sheet in the set of insulator sheets in the form of a flexible, impervious cellular sheet with a fire retardant adhesive for sealing the respective sheets around the respective penetrations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a system for reducing energy consumption,excessive indoor humidity and indoor and outdoor air pollutants in ahome or building.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Heat is lost through homes and other buildings in two ways—throughthermal conduction and through air infiltration. With thermalconduction, heat is lost through the exterior envelope or “shell” of thehouse. This shell consists of the wood studding, sheathing, insulation,drywall or sheet and the external siding, i.e. brick, stone, or vinyl.The seal between the exterior environment and the interior livingenvironment includes footings (and sub-surface drainage), below groundfloors and walls, above ground walls, wall penetrations includingwindows, doors, etc. and the roof system. Air infiltration is theuncontrolled leakage of air through these seal openings in homes orbuildings and can account for a large part of heat loss in a typicalhome or building. These openings, also referred to as penetrations, arelocated in the exterior of home or building as well as in theinterior—which is a very important part of the present invention.

When discussing air infiltration and energy savings, it is actually asubstantial portion of treated air in homes and buildings that is oftenwasted. Treated air is air that is heated or cooled by various heatingunits or air conditioners used in homes and buildings, and air that ishumidified or dehumidified by humidifiers or dehumidifiers. Due to theever increasing cost of energy, this substantial portion of treated airwhich is wasted is having a larger and larger economic impact onhomeowners and building owners.

Air infiltration (“air infiltration” refers to the inadvertent airflowing into and out of a home or building) occurs when differences inair pressure between the exterior and interior of a home or building,allow too much treated air to exit or too much outside air to easilyenter and contaminate the treated air. Because of direct exposure to hotand cold winds, drafts occurring from convection and temperaturedifferentials from the inside and outside, the outside walls of a homeor building are exposed to air attempting to enter the home or building.Likewise, properly dehumidified air can inadvertently leave the home orbuilding, and air untreated for humidity can inadvertently enter thehome or building. Similarly, contaminated air can inadvertently enter ahome or building. The most common openings are those created by thejoining of dissimilar building materials including:

-   -   1. windows and doors and their framing    -   2. electrical, cable, telephone and plumbing penetrations    -   3. foundations and sill plates    -   4. sub floors and band joists    -   5. air duct joints in unheated spaces    -   6. HVAC systems    -   7. fireplaces and chimneys        FIG. 4 shows a front view of a typical home showing the typical        areas of air infiltration illustrated by arrows. The drafts from        outside that flow through the inside walls via electrical,        cable, telephone and plumbing penetrations, leak through the        interior outlets and switches which contaminate the treated air        of a home or building. All of a home's or building's outlets and        switches allow drafts.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiencyand Renewable Energy, up to 40% of a home's heat loss can result fromair infiltration. The main route for infiltration through the insulatedstud cavity area of exterior walls is through electrical outlets.Building scientists and HVAC industry experts who study airinfiltration, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy, believe thatthis leakage amounts to only 1% to 4% of a typical home's totalinfiltration. Since air infiltration accounts for up to 40% of a home'stotal heat loss, electrical outlet infiltration is responsible for 4% of40%, or about 1.6% of a home's total heat loss. This 1.6% has beenrounded to 2% as shown in FIG. 6. According to the building scientistsand HVAC industry experts, this small amount of infiltration can bevirtually eliminated by providing a gasket between the electrical outletcover and the electrical box.

Michigan Technical University recently conducted a study to identify thesources of air leakage caused by air infiltration. The study was knownas the Green Ghent Project and sought to reduce the energy wasted by airinfiltration. The findings developed were similar to the Department ofEnergy's conclusions and were published on Mar. 6, 2008 athttp://greenghent.wordpress.com/. The pie chart shown in FIG. 6 wascreated by the U.S. Department of Energy, and shows that electricaloutlets account for 2% of home air leaks. Thus, sealing electricalpenetrations are not seriously considered for reducing air infiltration.Because of this small percentage of supposed energy savings by sealingof the electrical penetrations, building scientists and HVAC industryexperts focused on the more traditional sources of air infiltrationwhich included leaks in the windows, attic, floors, ceilings and walls.Also, many building scientists and HVAC industry experts state that onlyoutside walls need sealing because that is where the outside airpenetrates into the home. Therefore, electrical penetrations are oftenignored since they are located mostly in the interior of a home orbuilding.

In association with air filtration as mentioned above, wasted treatedair in a home or building includes in large part air that passes throughand between walls, floors and ceilings through openings therethrough,often in openings for holding electrical devices, such as sockets forelectrical plugs, electrical switches, indicators such as thermometers,speakers, security devices and the like. Treated air often escapesthrough the walls, floors or ceilings to the outside environment, or tovoids and dead spaces in the building, such as attics where treated airis not necessary.

Another problem besides air infiltration in a home or building isexcessive indoor humidity. The primary source of moisture inside a homeor building is the outside air leaking into the house, which containshigh levels of humidity in the form of invisible water vapor. Some newhigh efficiency air conditioners can contribute to excessive indoorhumidity which can lead to unhealthy mold growth in homes. Many new airconditioners simply do not remove the humidity that the old airconditioners did. Controlling indoor moisture and humidity is the key tocontrolling mold. The American Lung Association, the American MedicalAssociation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers ForDisease Control and many other authorities recommend keeping therelative humidity level in your home between 30% and 50% year round.Higher levels encourage allergy causing dust mites, mold growth andmusty odors. High levels of indoor mold can cause serious healthproblems, including allergic reactions, toxic reactions, asthmaepisodes, infections and respiratory damage.

Comfort inside a home or building also suffers when an air conditionercannot control indoor humidity. It is not uncommon for occupants in ahome or building to find that they are not comfortable at various timesof the day or cooling seasons. Although the air conditioner iscontrolling the temperature, the indoor humidity is bouncing up anddown, typically from 45% to 75%, which affects the comfort of a home orbuilding. When indoor humidity levels are too high, a person's skincannot evaporate moisture as well, which leads to discomfort. Some newair conditioning systems can allow up to 80% humidity.

Some air leaks in a home or building can also bring in contaminated airrather than fresh air. This is due to the fact that the incoming airfirst passes through the attached garage, crawlspaces, basement orattic. Air pollutants such as mold spores, crawlspace moisture,insulation fibers, carbon monoxide, automobile exhaust, radon gas orvolatile organic chemicals can contaminate this incoming air, andnegatively affect the health and safety of the home or building'soccupants. Finding and fixing these leaks that allow in contaminated airwill make a home or building healthier, less humid in the summer, lessdusty, more comfortable and reduce energy heating, cooling and repairbills.

A computerized diagnostic instrument that measures air leakage is theInfiltrometer which was invented by U.S. Department of Energyscientists. A blower door test is done using the Infiltrometer toreceive an exact measurement of the home or building's air tightness.Some homes or buildings are very air tight and require improvedventilation. However, most homes or buildings are too leaky, whichcauses excessive summer heat and humidity, dry air and cold drafts inthe winter, creating uncomfortable rooms, excessive dust, and highheating and cooling bills year round.

A device for preventing the passage of treated air through some of theelectrical openings in a home or building has been the incorporation offlexible, cellular sheet products or insulators which were installed,for example, on the inside of a wall plate. Wall plates are alsoreferred to as socket plates, switch plates and face plates. Thecellular sheet product or wall plate insulation is also referred to assocket insulation, socket gaskets, switch insulation and switch gaskets.These flexible cellular sheet products or insulators are typically madeof petroleum products which are not environment friendly and cannot berecycled because they are not fabricated from renewable resources. Itwas believed that use of an insulating sheet product on the insidesurfaces of a socket plate, combined with a false plug for blocking thepassages for the receptacles for an electrical plug, would largely blockthe passage of treated air through the opening for the socket assembly.Other electrical and plumbing penetrations were ignored since it wasbelieved that the latter penetrations were minor, because sealingelectrical penetrations only accounted for 2% of air leaks.(“Insulators” or “insulator sheets” as used herein means flexible,cellular sheet products which are pre-cut, or cut by the user, to coverpenetrations in a home or other building to prevent the flow of air orother gas therethrough.)

U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,137 to Close discloses a gasket for sealing aroundan electrical box wall opening to prevent air infiltration. The gasketis made of a thin sheet of flexible, air impervious material slightlylarger than the wall opening and slightly smaller than the cover platefor the device and having at least one opening therein for receiving aportion of the device which protrudes from the box and through acorresponding opening in the cover plate. The sheet includes a pressuresensitive adhesive on one side for sealing engagement with the wallsurface surrounding the opening therein and with the surface of thedevice facing the cover plate. The gasket can be made of a suitableplastic material having flame retardant properties to prevent electricalfire.

However, Close only discloses gaskets for electrical sockets andswitches. In fact, a home has numerous electrical penetrations inaddition to electrical sockets and switches. These additional electricalpenetrations include cable lines, telephone lines, Ethernet lines,speakers, intercoms, radios, etc. In fact, any penetration created froma hole in a wall or floor can be a pathway for air infiltration. Sealingonly some, but not all, of the penetrations of a home does not reduceair infiltration, since treated air will find another open pathway toescape if only some pathways are sealed. Therefore, preventing airinfiltration can only be achieved by sealing all of the penetrations ofan entire home, which is not taught or suggested by Close. Furthermore,as discussed later in the present application, industry experts whichinclude building scientists and HVAC experts believe it is insignificantto attempt to reduce air infiltration by sealing all of the electricaloutlets since electrical outlets only account for 2% of typical airleaks in a home as shown in FIG. 6. Although mentioned by Close,existing gaskets sold on the market do not use an adhesive. The reasonfor this is because no one has ever specifically measured the amount ofair infiltration coming from these penetrations because it was thoughtto be insignificant. Thus, no one bothered to expand or improve theproduct. Thus, Close (which issued in 1979) combined with what is knownin the art, does not teach or suggest sealing all of the penetrations ofan entire home or building. Furthermore, for almost 30 years, no one isbelieved to have attempted to focus on the result of sealing allelectrical penetrations, since sealing electrical outlets appears tohave only a very small effect on reducing air infiltration. Thus, thepresent invention is non-obviousness from prior technology in this fieldand yields unexpected results when the present invention was actuallytested based on these well known industry principles.

As mentioned above, sealing the additional penetrations such asplumbing, cable and telephone penetrations are not discussed in Close.Thus, Close is silent on a process for sealing the entire home and lacksa device to seal all of the penetrations of a home or building.Additionally, Close does not disclose the prevention of excessive indoorhumidity and contaminated air from indoor and outdoor pollutants, whichcan have a significant impact on the health of the individuals residingin a home or occupying building.

Furthermore, Close is also silent on including a flame retardant in theadhesive itself. Since the adhesive is facing the electrical box, it isthe first material that would be affected by any electrical fire. If theadhesive is not flame retardant, it does not matter that the gasket isflame retardant. It is well known that products are certified by UnitedLaboratories (UL) for their safety, including flame retardantproperties. A UL certification would require a fully fire retardantproduct. Adhesive Transfer Tape 467MP, a 3M product, is one such productthat is a fire retardant adhesive. The potentially dangerous problem wasnever considered by Close.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device and a process to seal all ofthe penetrations of an entire home or building which can preventunwanted air infiltration, reduce excessive indoor humidity and airpollutants which can cause contaminated air and reduce energy costsassociated with the heating and cooling of a home or building.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to prevent or substantially reducethe leakage of treated air caused by air infiltration from an entirehome or other entire building through openings which the presentinventor has found should be sealed, such as openings for electricalapparatus, including sockets, switches, telecommunication devices andspeakers, and openings for pipes and other conduits.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent or substantiallyreduce excessive indoor humidity from an entire home or other entirebuilding.

Still another object of the present invention is to prevent orsubstantially reduce contaminated air from entering an entire home orother entire building.

Yet another object is to prevent or substantially reduce the leakage oftreated air from an entire home or entire building caused by airinfiltration as set forth above through an effective and efficientproduct which can be produced economically at high volume.

It is a further object to provide an insulator for preventing orsubstantially reducing the leakage of treated air caused by airinfiltration from or into an entire home or other entire building by aproduct which is easy to use.

Still another object is to reduce the cost of energy for treating airfor an entire home or other entire building, much of the treatment ofair being wasted due to air infiltration or air leaking through openingsin the home or building which are not intended to allow the flow oftreated air therethrough.

Another object is to provide an insulator for sealing the space aroundexisting pipes and other conduits, and existing electrical cables andother electrical lines used for an entire home or other entire buildingwhich can be easily applied without removing the pipes, conduits andlines.

Still another object is to provide an insulator for sealing the spacearound any type of penetration in a home or building which can be custommade at the time of installation to conform to the configuration of thepenetration, and can be easily applied without a skilled installer.

An additional object is to provide a process for preventing energy losscaused by air infiltration or the flow of treated air through openingsnot intended to conduct treated air in or from an entire home or otherentire building, such as openings for electrical apparatus, pipes andother conduits.

Still another object is to provide an insulator for an entire home orother entire building which can be made from hemp or recycled materials,thus providing an environmentally friendly “green” product.

These and other objects are accomplished from the invention describedbelow and from the appended claims.

The present invention in its preferred form comprises a set ofinsulators in the form of a flexible, impervious cellular sheetdimensioned to cover the area surrounding openings through which treatedair may leak to flow to the outside environment, voids, attics and ordead spaces in a home or other building, with an adhesive on the sheetto seal the sheet to the walls, floors and ceilings though which theopening extends. The preferred form of the invention further provides aset of such insulators for preventing untreated air to flow from theoutside environment, into a home or other building. The insulatorsaccording to the preferred form of the invention should not allow smallopenings for passage of air therethrough, because not only is thepassage of air cumulative for all of the insulators, but any opening isliable to grow in size as air passes through it. The insulators can bepre-cut, or custom cut by the installer. The adhesive preferably has apeel-off, protective cover to prevent premature adhesion of the adhesiveto other objects, or the adhesion of dirt or dust to the adhesive, priorto the intended use of the insulator. The adhesive preferably is flameretardant since it may be directly exposed to electrical wires. Any openportions of the home or other building which could serve as ports fortreated air leakage from a home or building, or for untreated air pathsinto a home or building, such ports and paths including socket holeswhen a plug is not being used in the socket, are closed by such aninsulator. As explained in detail, the invention provides reductions inair infiltration by as much as 19% for electrical penetrations, and ithas been established that normal air infiltration through electricaloutlets has an industrial average of 2%. Thus, the term “to prevent orsubstantially reduce air infiltration” as used herein with respect toelectrical penetrations means in the range of 2%-19%. The airinfiltration is reduced by as much as 2% for plumbing penetrations, andthe term “to prevent or substantially reduce air infiltration” as usedherein with respect to plumbing penetrations means in the range of0%-2%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrical penetration and a cellularsheet according to the prior art.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of FIG. 1 in an unexploded view.

FIG. 2 is a magnified view of the circular area shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a typical house showing air infiltrationillustrated by arrows.

FIG. 5A is a plan view of an embodiment of an aspect of the inventionfor use with a cable electrical socket.

FIG. 5B is a plan view of an embodiment of another aspect of theinvention for use with a plumbing line such as a water line.

FIG. 5C is a plan view of an embodiment of still another aspect of theinvention for use with an alternate plumbing line such as a waste line.

FIG. 5D is a plan view of an embodiment of yet another aspect of thepresent invention for use with a telephone cable.

FIG. 5E is a plan view of an embodiment of another aspect of the presentinvention for use with a GFI outlet.

FIG. 5F is a plan view of an embodiment of still another aspect of theinvention for use with a double electrical outlet.

FIG. 5G is a plan view of an embodiment of still a further aspect of theinvention for use with a double electrical switch.

FIG. 5H is a plan view of an embodiment of yet another aspect of theinvention for use with a single electrical switch and single electricaloutlet.

FIG. 5I is a plan view of an embodiment of a further aspect of theinvention for use with a single electrical outlet and showing theadhesive being partially peeled from the corner of the cellular sheet.

FIG. 5J is a plan view of an embodiment of still a further aspect of theinvention for use with a single electrical switch.

FIG. 6 is a pie chart showing the sources of home air leaks according tothe U.S. Department of Energy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1, 1A, 2 and 3 show the prior art wherein a plate 1 has positionedon its wall-facing surface a flexible, cellular sheet 3 for covering anopening 5 around a socket 7. Socket 7 is housed in an electrical box 10via screws 12 received by holes 13. Plate 1 and sheet 3 have alignedopenings 9 and 11 exposing only socket 7, but not exposing opening 5.

FIG. 2 shows a magnified or enlarged portion shown by the circle in FIG.1A. Plate 1 is not shown in FIG. 2. What the present inventor found, ofwhich no one was previously aware, is the presence of uneven portions ofthe walls, floors or ceilings which are treated air pathways 15 thoughwhich treated air from a room or the like in the building can leak intoopening 5, and which causes substantially large losses of treated airand the energy costs associated therewith. (Likewise, untreated air canflow into such a room or the like.) It is well known that due tostructural imperfections in a home or building, walls, floors andceilings are not perfectly flat but rather possess uneven or irregularportions. The result of these uneven or irregular portions affect howthe electrical outlets, switches, cable lines, Ethernet lines, speakers,radios, plumbing fixtures are housed in the penetrations. For example,if the wall is uneven around an electrical penetration, the plate 1 willnot fit flush against the wall. Since cellular sheet 3 is adhered to theelectrical outlet 7 and not plate 1, a gap will be created betweencellular sheet 3 and plate 1. This gap leads to the creation of pathway15, which results from air passing through the penetration as shown inFIG. 3. Pathway 15 is only shown schematically, since they are verydifficult to view and can only be detected by controlled tests usingpressurized air flowing into a building or part thereof.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of cellular sheet 3 showing pathway 15.Every pathway severely limits the usefulness of existing insulators,since treated air rushes through any opening—and considered together foran entire home or building results in great wastage of treated air,energy costs and economic loss. The insulator should not even allowminute openings for passage of air therethrough, because not only is thepassage of air cumulative for all of the insulators, but any opening isliable to grow in size as air passes through it.

FIGS. 5A-5I show embodiments of various aspects of the present inventionfor use with various penetrations. It should be appreciated that anaspect of the present invention includes providing a cellular sheetcomprising the same general configuration with similar dimensions as acover plate used to cover the various penetrations, although thecellular sheet can also be applied to a penetration without a coverplate (i.e., an insulator). The cellular sheet of the insulator is of adimension and configuration such that the backside of the cover plate isfully covered by the cellular sheet and any openings in the cellularsheet correspond in shape and number to the openings of the cover plate.However, the openings of cellular sheet should be slightly smaller thanthe openings of the cover plate, so that the cellular sheet fits snuglyand tightly around the underlying penetration, thereby eliminating, orat least significantly minimizing, any potential drafts through thepenetration. For example, the openings of cellular sheet are about thesame size and dimensions as the size of the socket of an underlyingelectrical outlet in order to minimize or eliminate drafts through andaround the outlet. The cellular sheet includes an adhesive, describedbelow, which must be of sufficient thickness and a proper formula toprevent the cellular sheet or any part of the cellular sheet fromdisengaging from the surface, such as a wall, around the penetration. Itis very important that the cellular sheet remain completely adhered tothe surface, so as to prevent gaps which may allow air to pass throughas discussed above and as shown in FIG. 3. The cellular sheet may befurther secured to the cover plate by any conventional method known inthe art, such as by gluing, by hooking under a curved edge of the outletplate, etc.

The cellular sheet can be made from any number of suitable materials.Typical insulation materials are usually made of petroleum. Naturalinsulation or “green” products can also be used which are moreenvironment friendly. These include sheep wool, cotton, hemp andrecycled insulation. A suitable insulator material for the cellularsheet is Volara® Type AFR manufactured by Voltek. Volara Type AFR is anirradiation cross-linked polyethylene foam with a continuous andimpervious smooth surface, fine cell structure, excellent mechanicalproperties, combined with fire retardant properties.

The adhesive used on the insulator material is very important and mustbe of sufficient thickness and have sufficient adhesion properties toprevent the cellular sheet from disengaging from the surface surroundingthe penetration. Typical adhesives are usually made of chemicals.However, natural or “green” adhesives can also be used which are moreenvironment friendly since they are non-toxic. These natural adhesivesinclude casein glue, animal hide and hoof adhesives, marine organismadhesives, mussel adhesives, and lignin. A specific type of adhesive tobe used with the insulator material of the present invention is made byFLEXCON. The adhesive is FLEXmount® TT 200 L-344 60 LA PFW, which is apermanent pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive supported with a two sidepoly-coated semi-bleached kraft differential release liner. It has athickness of 2.0 mil (0.002 inches or 51 micron). It has a tack of 920gm. Tack is the property that controls the instant formation of a bondwhen an adhesive and a surface are brought into contact. As mentionedabove, the properties of the adhesive along with the thickness of theadhesive allow the cellular sheet to remain completely adhered to thesurface around the penetration, so as to prevent gaps which may allowunwanted air to pass through the penetration to the inside and/or fromthe outside of a home or building.

Since the adhesive, and not the insulator material, is directly exposedto the interior of an electrical penetration or electrical outlet, asuitable flame retardant in the adhesive itself, in addition to theinsulator material, is utilized to prevent an electrical fire, and is animportant aspect of the present invention. An insulator material with aflame retardant is of no use if the adhesive itself is not flameretardant as well, since the adhesive would be the first materialexposed to an electrical fire, and would catch fire if the adhesive didnot possess a flame retardant. Therefore, the flame retardant adhesiveis a significant safety precaution for preventing electrical fires whenusing an insulator sheet. Each embodiment of FIGS. 5A-5I will now bedescribed.

FIG. 5A shows a cellular sheet 20 for use with a cable electricalsocket. Cellular sheet has a hole 22 for receiving the end of anelectrical cable. Hole 22 can be created by making a hole through sheet20 by various known methods including punching. Hole 22 can also becreated by means of a cutting device, such as a knife or razor,including power driven knives and razors. A slit 24 can be cut incellular sheet 20 from the outer edge of cellular sheet 20 to hole 22and can serve a number of purposes. First, slit 24 can create someflexibility for hole 22 by separating the portions of cellular sheet 20on either side of slit 24 and placing sheet 20 around the electricalline or cable so the end of electrical cable passes through hole 22. Ifthe end of electrical cable is placed through hole 22 from the front ofcellular sheet 20, there may be a tendency to tear or damage thecellular sheet on the sharp end of the electrical cable. Anotherimportant advantage of slit 24 is that it eliminates the need todisconnect the electrical cable from the appliance it is connected towhen installing cellular sheet 20, because the cable simply slips intoslit 24 to hole 22. Installation of cellular sheet is quick and easy,and a person can still use the appliance while installing sheet 20. Slit24 can be used any cellular sheet for accommodating other conduitsbesides electrical cables. The same advantages apply to these otherconduits. Cellular sheet 20 also includes openings 26 for accommodatingfasteners such as screws. These openings 26 can be created by use of acutting device to make “cross-like” cuts through cellular sheet 20.Screws from a cover plate (not shown) pass through openings 26 so coverplate can be attached to the electrical outlet. These “cross-like”openings 26 create a snug fit around screws since cellular sheet 20 isflexible. This prevents any additional openings that can allow thepassage of air between the electrical outlet and cellular sheet 20.

FIG. 5B is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use witha plumbing penetration such as a plumbing line. Cellular sheet 30 isvery similar to cellular sheet 20, and includes a hole 32, a slit 34 and“cross-like” openings 36. The advantages of slit 34 and “cross-like”openings 36 are similar as discussed above. Hole 32 accommodates anytype of plumbing line, such as a water line in a home which is usuallylocated underneath kitchen, bathroom and laundry sinks. Cellular sheet30 is installed in the same manner as cellular sheet 20 as describedabove. The advantage of slit 34 is that it eliminates the need todisconnect the plumbing line when installing cellular sheet 30 since theplumbing line slips through slit 34 to hole 32. Eliminating the need todisconnect the plumbing line eliminates leaking water and cleanup andsaves valuable time. Therefore, installation is quick and easy.

FIG. 5C is an embodiment of yet another aspect of the invention for usewith an even larger plumbing line. Cellular sheet 40 is very similar tocellular sheets 20, 30, and includes a hole 42, a slit 44 and“cross-like” openings 46. The advantages of slit 44 and “cross-like”openings 46 are the same as discussed above and will not be furtherdiscussed for the sake of brevity. Hole 42 accommodates a larger type ofplumbing line such as a waste line in a home, which is usually locatedunderneath kitchen, bathroom and laundry sinks. Cellular sheet 40 isinstalled in the same manner as cellular sheet 30 as described above andincludes the same advantages which will not be further discussed. Iflines are close enough to each other, either plumbing lines, electricallines or any other lines or other penetrations, or combinations thereof,several holes and slits could be incorporated in the same cellularsheet.

FIG. 5D is an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention foruse with a telephone outlet. Cellular sheet 50 includes a square hole 52for accommodating a telephone outlet (not shown). Square hole 52substantially matches the shape of the telephone outlet. Cellular sheet50 also includes “cross-like” openings 54 for allowing a fastener suchas a screw to fit through. The advantages of “cross-like” openings 54are the same as discussed above and will not be further discussed forthe sake of brevity. Cellular sheet 50 can also include a slit (notshown) in a similar manner as discussed above to allow the cellularsheet to go over the wires of the phone outlet once the wall plate hasbeen removed from the wall. However, during this process, the wires donot have to be unhooked which allows for quick and easy installation.

FIG. 5E is an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention foruse with a standard GFI outlet or a DECORA® brand electrical outlet,which has a rectangular shape. Cellular sheet 60 includes a rectangularhole 62 for accommodating a GFI outlet (not shown) or a DECORA® brandelectrical outlet (not shown). Rectangular hole 62 substantially matchesthe shape of the GFI outlet or a DECORA® brand electrical outlet.Cellular sheet 60 also includes “cross-like” openings 64 for allowing afastener such as a screw to fit through. The advantages of “cross-like”openings 64 are the same as discussed above and will not be furtherdiscussed for the sake of brevity.

FIG. 5F is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use witha double electrical outlet also known as a 4-plug outlet. Cellular sheet70 is shaped similarly to a plate (not shown) for the double electricaloutlet. Cellular sheet includes 70 openings 72 which expose the socketof the double electrical outlet (not shown). As seen in FIG. 5F, holes74 are located between openings 72 for accommodating screws (not shown)for connecting the plate to the double electrical outlet, with cellularsheet 70 inserted between the plate and the double electrical outlet.

FIG. 5G is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use witha double electrical switch. Cellular sheet 80 is shaped similarly to aplate (not shown) for the double electrical switch. Cellular sheet 80includes openings 82 which expose the switches of the double electricalswitch (not shown). “Cross-like” openings 84 are located above and belowopenings 82 for accommodating screws (not shown) for connecting theplate to the double electrical switch, with cellular sheet 80 insertedbetween the plate and the double electrical switch. The advantages of“cross-like” openings 84 are the same as discussed above and will not berepeated for the sake of brevity.

FIG. 5H is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use witha single electrical switch and a single electrical outlet (2-plugoutlet) together. Cellular sheet 90 is shaped similarly to a plate (notshown) for the single electrical switch and a single electrical outlettogether. Cellular sheet 90 includes openings 92 which expose the socketof the single electrical outlet (not shown). Cellular sheet 90 alsoincludes opening 94 which exposes the switch of the single electricalswitch (not shown). Hole 96 is located between openings 92 foraccommodating the screw (not shown) for connecting the plate to theoutlet. Also, “cross-like” openings 98 are located above and belowopening 94 for accommodating screws (not shown) for connecting the plateto the single electrical switch and single electrical outlet together,with cellular sheet 80 inserted between the plate and the outlet. Theadvantages of “cross-like” openings 98 are the same as discussed aboveand will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

FIG. 5I is an embodiment of still another aspect of the invention foruse with a single electrical outlet also known as a 2-plug outlet.Cellular sheet 100 is shaped similarly to a plate (not shown) for theelectrical outlet. Cellular sheet includes 100 openings 102 which exposethe socket of the single electrical outlet (not shown). A “cross-like”opening 104 is located between openings 102 for accommodating a screw(not shown) for connecting the plate to the single electrical switch,with cellular sheet 100 inserted between the plate and the outlet. Theadvantages of “cross-like” opening 104 are the same as discussed aboveand will not be repeated for the sake of brevity. FIG. 5I also shows athin film 106 being partially peeled from the corner of cellular sheet100 to expose an adhesive 108. Adhesive 108 is used to secure cellularsheet 100 to a wall surface (not shown) around the outlet to prevent anygaps between the outlet and the cellular sheet which may allow theunwanted passage of air resulting in air filtration, excessive humidityand contaminated air.

FIG. 5J is an embodiment of another aspect of the invention for use witha single electrical switch. Cellular sheet 110 is shaped similarly to aplate (not shown) for the single electrical switch. Cellular sheet 110includes an opening 112 which expose the switch of the single electricalswitch (not shown). “Cross-like” openings 114 are located above andbelow opening 112 for accommodating screws (not shown) for connectingthe plate to the single electrical switch, with cellular sheet 110inserted between the plate and the single electrical switch. Theadvantages of “cross-like” openings 114 are the same as discussed aboveand will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

It should be appreciated that FIGS. 5A-5J are not exhaustive of thetypes cellular sheets that can be used for sealing the penetrations ofan entire home or building. FIGS. 5A-5I represent cellular sheets thatcan be used with some of the more well known types of penetrationsincluding electrical and plumbing. An aspect of the present inventionalso includes a custom made cellular sheet (not shown) that may befitted to seal any type of penetration of a home during the time ofinstallation. The cellular sheet can be cut using any type of cuttingtool to conform to the penetration of a home or building based on thesize of the penetration and does not require a skilled installer tofabricate or install the custom cellular sheets. A blank cellular sheetcan also be used to seal a penetration where a future outlet, switchetc. may be installed. For example, it is not uncommon for a builder orcontractor to create a penetration in a wall where an outlet or switchmay be installed in the future. The builder or contractor would coverthe penetration with a blank cover plate until the homeowner decided toinstall the outlet or switch. The blank cellular sheet would beinstalled in the manner described above by placing it between thepenetration and cover plate. If the homeowner then decided to install anelectrical outlet at the penetration, the blank cellular sheet could bereplaced by a cellular sheet matching the electrical penetration.

A very important aspect of the present invention involves insulating allof the penetrations in a home or building, rather than some of theelectrical or plumbing penetrations. Penetrations around light fixtures,switches, ducts of all types and the like, would result in an excessiveamount of treated air to flow to and/or from the home or building. Thiswould be wasteful of the energy involved to treat the air, would reducethe effect of the treatment of the air and would be particularlynoticeable with respect to the energy being wasted. Additionally, thisenergy savings can be achieved without replacing windows andheating/cooling systems, which could be very expensive. Furthermore,replacing windows and heating/cooling systems still will not solve theproblem of air infiltration, and a homeowner may be wasting even moremoney by not solving the actual problem caused by air infiltration.However, wasted energy and money are not the only negatives results ofair infiltration. The health of the individuals residing in a home orbuilding can also be greatly affected by air infiltration.

As explained earlier, the unsealed penetrations in a home or buildingcan lead to excessive indoor humidity which, at higher levels, canencourage allergy causing dust mites, mold growth and musty odors. Highlevels of indoor mold can cause serious health problems, includingallergic reactions, toxic reactions, asthma episodes, infections andrespiratory damage. Comfort inside a home or building also suffers whenan air conditioner cannot control indoor humidity. When indoor humiditylevels are too high, a person's skin cannot evaporate moisture as well,which leads to discomfort. The present invention can greatly reduce oreliminate excessive indoor humidity, which protects a home or building'soccupants from serious health problems and discomfort, by preventing thein draft of excessively humid air into the home or building. On theother hand, sometimes humid air is desirable in a home or building. Thepresent invention can also prevent or substantially reduce the loss ofindoor humidity caused by air infiltration through electricalpenetrations in a home or building. During the winter, keeping air humidis desirable because the outside air is very dry. Typically, ahumidifier is used to combat the dry air coming into a “leaky” home orbuilding. Thus, during the winter, if a home or building is sealedaccording to the present invention, there will be an increase inrelative indoor humidity and a humidifier may not be necessary.

Also discussed earlier, contaminated air is also a problem caused byunsealed penetrations in a home or building. Air pollutants such as moldspores, crawlspace moisture, insulation fibers, carbon monoxide,automobile exhaust, radon gas or volatile organic chemicals cancontaminate incoming air from the outside of a home or building, andnegatively affect the health and safety of the home or building'soccupants. Finding and sealing the penetrations with the cellular sheetair will make a home or building healthier, less humid in the summer,less dusty and more comfortable.

The present invention also greatly reduces or eliminates the indoor airpollutants of a home or building. Indoor air pollutants includingmoisture are generated in a home or building from appliances, cooking,kitchens, bathrooms etc. If too little outdoor air enters a home orbuilding, indoor pollutants can sometimes accumulate to levels that canpose health and comfort problems to the individuals residing in the homeor building. Likewise, one approach to lowering the concentrations ofindoor air pollutants in a home is to increase the amount of outdoor aircoming in. However, the places where the outdoor air should enter a homeor building is important, and clean fresh outdoor air should be enteringrather than polluted air. These places which let in clean, fresh outsideair include the leaks around windows and doors. The places which may letin potentially polluted air are attics, garages, crawlspaces, basementsor underground. Thus, it is essential to seal any penetrations aroundattics, garages, crawlspaces, basements or underground which may allowpolluted air to enter. The present invention can greatly reduce oreliminate this polluted air by sealing the penetrations around theseareas.

The rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air is described as theair exchange rate. When there is little air infiltration, naturalventilation, or mechanical ventilation, the air exchange rate is low andpollutant levels can increase. The American Society of Heating,Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineering (ASHRAE recommends (inits Standard 62-1999, “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality”)that homes receive 0.35 air changes per hour, but not less than 15 cubicfeet per minute (cfm) per person. Stated another way, this nationalventilation standard recommends that all of the air in a home beexchanged with fresh outside air approximately 8.4 times per day.Sometimes this exchange rate is referred to how much a home “breathes.”Therefore a typical home should ideally “breathe” 8.4 times per day. Inorder to obtain the required fresh air on a yearly average basis, a homeneeds approximately 1.2 square feet of air leaks or Total Leakage Area.

As explained earlier, an infiltrometer is a device used to measure theair exchange rate of a home. This test is referred to as theinfiltrometer “blower door” test. The infiltrometer is a computerizedinstrument originally invented by the Department of Energy. It pinpointswhere a home's worst air leaks are, and also measures how leaky theoverall house is. Most homes have the equivalent of an open window incombined air leaks. The blower door is made up of a high powered fan anda series of panels that temporarily seal the home. The fan is connectedto computerized controls and specialized computer software. The fanblows air out of the house causing a pressure difference between thehome and the outside atmosphere. The pressure is measured in Paschals(Pa). The pressure difference (in this case a negative pressure) forcesoutside air into the home from all available holes and penetrations. Inother words, the home is trying to replace the lost air from the fanblowing out by sucking air in through any opening it can find. Bycalculating the air flow through the fan and the air pressure of thebuilding, the infiltrometer can determine the amount of air entering andleaving the home through the building envelope. And because the blowerdoor is forcing air through the home, problem leaks are easy to spotwith chemical smoke, an infrared camera, or simply with one's hand.

An energy audit of a home was completed to test the insulator sheet ofthe present invention. The results were unexpected as detailed in thetables below based on the prior science and what was known in the art.Five different tests were done to determine the air exchange rate or theamount of “breathing” of the house. The test also refers to Manual J andMechanical air change rates. Manual J and Mechanical is a loadcalculation that heating and air conditioning contractors use toproperly size heating and cooling equipment based on the “leakiness” ofthe building envelope. A leaky house will need bigger equipment to heatand cool whereas a tight house will need smaller equipment to heat andcool.

The first test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #1) was done with thehome “as is”, that is without using any type of insulators or sealants.The infiltrometer measured 2.3 square feet of Total Leakage Area. Onaverage, this area will approximately cause the home to breathe 16.7times per day. This is 1.9 times more than recommended. It should benoted that there is an exception that may make the results or breathablefactor even higher. If any of the leaks are in the air duct system,actual air changes may be substantially higher since duct leaksexperience much higher pressures than house leaks. One square inch ofduct leakage to the outside has approximately the same impact as 30square inches of house leaks. The results of the test are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #1 Report Prepared For: McAllisterResidence/Test 1, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By:Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test:Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ftAvg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind ShieldingFactor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL (Lawrence Berkley Labs)Climate Zone: 2) Temperature: Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F.,Depressurize from inside Test Data: 25 Pa House Pressure, 117 Pa FlowPressure on Ring B, 1,750 CFM Leakage Areas and Sealing PotentialCalculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 square feet, 170.8 square inchesMeasured Leakage Area: 2.26 square feet, 325.0 square inches TotalLeakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch high by 54 feet long. 154square inches can be sealed before reaching the Optimum Leakage Area.Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J and Mechanical EstimatedAnnual Average Air Change Rate: 16.70 per day, 0.70 per hour EstimatedManual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.87 per hour or 186 CFM (C = 216 N =0.650) Summer = 0.52 per hour or 111 CFM Constant Mechanical WholeBuilding Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46 cfm (assumes 32cfm is also provided by building leakage) Imbalanced Airflow Required toPressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 216 cfm - 1 Pa 339 cfm = 2 Pa 441cfm = 3 Pa 532 cfm = 4 Pa 615 cfm = 5 Pa Humidification/DehumidificationRequirements (Approximate) Added Duct Leakage to Outside Winter to 35%RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None +13.2 gallons/day  −9.1gallons/day  50 cfm +16.8 gallons/day −13.2 gallons/day 100 cfm +20.4gallons/day −17.3 gallons/day 200 cfm +27.5 gallons/day −25.6gallons/day 300 cfm +34.6 gallons/day −33.8 gallons/day MaximumAcceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New Construction Codes Based on TotalAir Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons: 30 cfm, 6 sq. in.2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in 3.0 tons: 60 cfm,11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80 cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no air conditioning, 12.3square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems in the home, based on 3%of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA = 2,745 Air changes @ 50PA = 12,869 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 Pa Infiltrometer 9.0, CopyrightComfort Institute 2000-2003 All Rights Reserved

The first test served as a control test and concluded that the home“breathed” almost twice as much as it should when no insulator sheetswere used to seal any penetrations of the house. That is, the airexchange rate was 16.7, which is far above the recommended approximateof 8.4 times per day. This high air exchange rate would lead to largeamounts of wasted treated air, excessive summer humidity, dry air andcold drafts in the winter, uncomfortable rooms, excessive dust, and highheating and cooling bills.

The second test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #2) placed insulatorsheets according to the present invention on all outside wall electricalpenetrations. As previously mentioned, experts stated that only outsidewalls need sealing because that is where the outside air penetrates intothe home, since electrical penetrations account for only 2% of thedraft. Therefore, this statement was actually tested. The infiltrometermeasured 2.0 square feet of Total Leakage Area in the home. On average,this will cause approximately 14.6 changes each day as seen in Table 2.Thus, sealing the outside wall electrical penetrations reduced thenumber of air exchanges by 2.1 to 14.6 per day for a 12.5% savingscompared to the first test. The duct leak exception noted above appliesto all of the tests done, including test 2. The results of the secondtest are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #2 Report Prepared For: McAllisterResidence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By:Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test:Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ftAvg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind ShieldingFactor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature:Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data:25 Pa House Pressure, 89 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,527 CFM LeakageAreas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 squarefeet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.97 square feet, 283.7square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch highby 47 feet long. 113 square inches can be sealed before reaching theOptimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J andMechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 14.58 per day, 0.61per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.76 per hour or162 CFM (C = 188 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.46 per hour or 97 CFM ConstantMechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) ImbalancedAirflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 188 cfm - 1 Pa296 cfm = 2 Pa 385 cfm = 3 Pa 464 cfm = 4 Pa 537 cfm = 5 PaHumidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added DuctLeakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None+11.6 gallons/day  −8.0 gallons/day  50 cfm +15.1 gallons/day −12.1gallons/day 100 cfm +18.7 gallons/day −16.2 gallons/day 200 cfm +25.8gallons/day −24.4 gallons/day 300 cfm +33.0 gallons/day −32.6gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New ConstructionCodes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons:30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no airconditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems inthe home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA =2,397 Air changes @ 50 PA = 11,235 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 PaInfiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All RightsReserved

The second test concluded that a 12.5% energy savings could be achievedby sealing only the outside wall electrical penetrations. This 12.5%energy savings is much greater than the 2% previously expected by theU.S. Department of Energy and those skilled in the art. The next testwas to place insulator sheets on both the interior and exteriorelectrical penetrations.

The third test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #3) placed insulatorsheets of the present invention on all interior wall electricalpenetrations in addition to the outside wall electrical preparations andthe results are shown in Table 3. The infiltrometer measured 1.8 squarefeet of Total Leakage Area in the home. This reduced the number of airexchanges by 1.1 to 13.5 air exchanges per day for an additional 6.5%savings or a little better than ½ as effective as sealing the outsidewall electrical penetrations as done in test 2. This third test provesthe need to seal ALL electrical wall penetrations, i.e. both interiorand exterior electrical wall penetrations. The results of the third testare shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #3 Report Prepared For: McAllisterResidence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By:Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test:Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ftAvg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind ShieldingFactor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature:Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data:25 Pa House Pressure, 76 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,412 CFM LeakageAreas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 squarefeet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.82 square feet, 262.4square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch highby 44 feet long. 92 square inches can be sealed before reaching theOptimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J andMechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 13.48 per day, 0.56per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.70 per hour or150 CFM (C = 174 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.42 per hour or 90 CFM ConstantMechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) ImbalancedAirflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 174 cfm - 1 Pa274 cfm = 2 Pa 356 cfm = 3 Pa 429 cfm = 4 Pa 496 cfm = 5 PaHumidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added DuctLeakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None+10.7 gallons/day  −7.4 gallons/day  50 cfm +14.2 gallons/day −11.5gallons/day 100 cfm +17.8 gallons/day −15.6 gallons/day 200 cfm +24.9gallons/day −23.8 gallons/day 300 cfm +32.1 gallons/day −32.0gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New ConstructionCodes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons:30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no airconditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems inthe home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA =2,216 Air changes @ 50 PA = 10.390 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 PaInfiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All RightsReserved

Thus the third test revealed that sealing all electrical penetrationsreduced the number of air exchanges by 3.2. The home originally wasbreathing 16.7 times a day and after sealing all the electricalpenetrations it was breathing 13.5 times per day. This is a 19% savingswhich amounts to a huge energy reduction, much more than the 2% savingspreviously identified by building scientists and HVAC industry expertsand the U.S. Department of Energy. Therefore, the “experts” wereincorrect in concluding that only sealing the outside wall penetrationscan effectively lead to any significant savings.

To quantify this energy savings in dollars by sealing all of theelectrical penetrations of a home, the average heating and electricalcosts for a typical home in the U.S. was found at the website for theU.S. Energy Information Administration(www.eia.gov/emeu/steo/pub/wf-table.pdf). The average projected heatingcost for a residential unit in the U.S. for winter 2008-2009 is $1182.00per year according to measurements made in August 2008. If all of thehome's electrical penetrations are sealed with the insulator sheetsaccording to the present invention, and a 19% savings is achieved, thisresults in a savings of $224.58 per year on the average American home.The average electric bill for a residential unit in the U.S. is $1152.00per year. Air conditioning on average accounts for 16% of an electricbill. Therefore, the air conditioning accounts for $184.32 of the totalelectrical bill for the year. If all of the home's electricalpenetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to thepresent invention, and a 19% savings is achieved, this results in asavings of $35.02 per year on the average American home as of 2008. Bycombining the heating and electrical savings, an average of $259.60 issaved per year on heating and cooling if all of the home's electricalpenetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to thepresent invention.

The projected cost of a single insulator sheet according to the presentinvention is $0.50. A typical 1800 square foot home will haveapproximately 50 electrical penetrations, so the total cost to seal allthe electrical penetrations will be $25.00. Therefore, an owner of homewould start saving money within two months of installation of theinsulator sheets according to the present invention after covering thecost of the insulator sheets. Due to rising energy costs, this simplebut effective solution for sealing all of the home's electricalpenetrations with the insulator sheets according to the presentinvention results in a significant savings.

The insulator sheets of the present invention were applied to 47electrical penetrations and achieved a 19% savings. The count for thetype of electrical penetration sealed was; 22 duplexes, 13 switches, 5GFIs, 2 double GFIs, 2 phones, 2 cables and 1 double switch. Aspreviously mentioned, the only commercially available products on themarket are duplex, switch and GFI insulators. It should still further beappreciated that the present invention may be employed with bothstandard electrical outlets, as well as with other types of outlets,such as an outlet for a cable television line, an outlet for ahigh-speed Internet line, light switches, light switch plates havingdimmer functions, such as the DECORA® brand switch, or even inconnection with wall plates for any one of a number ofinternational-type electrical outlets. Specifically, the insulators canbe used with any type electrical penetration including: duplex, switch,telephone, cable, double switch, triple switch, quad switch,switch/duplex combo, double duplex, single GFI/DECORA®, double DECORA®,triple DECORA®, quad DECORA®, single blank and double blank. It shouldbe noted that this list is not exhaustive of the only types ofelectrical penetrations. The insulator of the present invention can beused for any type of electrical penetration.

The home had an original leakage area of 325 square inches as shown byTest 1. This leakage area would be the size of the “hole” or windowopened to the outside. The optimum leakage area for the home to have anacceptable air exchange rate was measured at 171 square inches. Thedifference between the total “hole” to the outside of 325 square inchesand the 171 square inches of the optimum “hole” to the outside is anundesired leakage or draft of 154 square inches.

Sealing the outside wall electrical penetrations eliminated 26% of the154 square inches of draft. Sealing the inside wall electricalpenetrations eliminated 13.5% of this draft. Sealing all electricalpenetrations sealed a total of 39.5% of this draft.

As previously noted, it is a very important aspect of the presentinvention that the sealing insulators are for the entire house. Theprior art referred to resisting drafts but only a per plug/outlet basis.The testing proved the effectiveness of sealing every electricalpenetration of the whole house.

As previously mentioned, those skilled in the art believed a 2% savingscould be achieved by sealing the electrical penetrations of a home.Indeed, Applicant was only confident that a 5% savings would resultbased on the present invention. Applicant did not expect to achieve a19% savings as shown in Test 3. Thus, the test results evidence theunexpected results of the present invention, as they yielded almost tentimes more energy savings than previously believed in the industry.

It has also been determined that additional energy savings can beachieved by further sealing the openings for receiving the plugreceptacles. These seals are known as seal caps. Another test wasconducted after applying seal caps on the openings of all of the duplexelectrical wall penetrations. The results of the fourth test (LooseHouse Leakage Test Report #4) are shown below.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #4 Report Prepared For: McAllisterResidence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By:Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test:Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ftAvg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind ShieldingFactor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature:Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data:25 Pa House Pressure, 73 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,385 CFM LeakageAreas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 squarefeet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.79 square feet, 257.2square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch highby 43 feet long. 92 square inches can be sealed before reaching theOptimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J andMechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 13.21 per day, 0.55per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.69 per hour or147 CFM (C = 171 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.41 per hour or 88 CFM ConstantMechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) ImbalancedAirflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 171 cfm - 1 Pa268 cfm = 2 Pa 349 cfm = 3 Pa 421 cfm = 4 Pa 486 cfm = 5 PaHumidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added DuctLeakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None+10.5 gallons/day  −7.2 gallons/day  50 cfm +14.0 gallons/day −11.3gallons/day 100 cfm +17.6 gallons/day −15.4 gallons/day 200 cfm +24.7gallons/day −23.6 gallons/day 300 cfm +31.9 gallons/day −31.9gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New ConstructionCodes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons:30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq.in. 3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons:80 cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no airconditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems inthe home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA =2,173 Air changes @ 50 PA = 10.185 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 PaInfiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All RightsReserved

As can be seen from the fourth test, closing the seal caps reduced thenumber of air exchanges by 0.3 for an additional 1.8% savings.Therefore, the seal caps when closed accounted for sealing 4% of thedraft.

In addition to sealing the electrical penetrations, it has also beendiscovered that sealing plumbing penetrations with the insulator sheetaccording to the present invention will also result in additional energysavings. A fifth and final test (Loose House Leakage Test Report #5) wasdone by sealing the plumbing penetrations under the kitchen and twobathroom sinks of the home. The results of the fifth test are shownbelow.

Loose House Leakage Test Report #5 Report Prepared For: McAllisterResidence/Test 2, 6788 Larchmount Dr. Mayfield Hts 44124, Prepared By:Mark Cannella, Home Energy Consultants, Chesterland, OH Date Of Test:Jun. 7, 2008 Living Area: 1,600 square feet on 1 Story; 3 Bedrooms; 8 ftAvg. Ceiling Height Wind Shielding: Normal suburban (Wind ShieldingFactor: 1) Climate: Cleveland AP (S) (LBL Climate Zone: 2) Temperature:Inside = 79° F., Outside = 84° F., Depressurize from inside Test Data:25 Pa House Pressure, 68 Pa Flow Pressure on Ring B, 1,337 CFM LeakageAreas and Sealing Potential Calculated Optimum Leakage Area: 1.19 squarefeet, 170.8 square inches Measured Leakage Area: 1.72 square feet, 248.3square inches Total Leakage Area is equal to a crack half an inch highby 41 feet long. 78 square inches can be sealed before reaching theOptimum Leakage Area. Air Exchange Rates: Annual Average, Manual J andMechanical Estimated Annual Average Air Change Rate: 12.76 per day, 0.53per hour Estimated Manual J Air Change Rate: Winter = 0.66 per hour or142 CFM (C = 165 N = 0.650) Summer = 0.40 per hour or 85 CFM ConstantMechanical Whole Building Ventilation Rate Specified By ASHRAE 62P: 46cfm (assumes 32 cfm is also provided by building leakage) ImbalancedAirflow Required to Pressurize/Depressurize (Approximate) 165 cfm - 1 Pa259 cfm = 2 Pa 337 cfm = 3 Pa 406 cfm = 4 Pa 470 cfm = 5 PaHumidification/Dehumidification Requirements (Approximate) Added DuctLeakage to Outside Winter to 35% RH (Add) Summer to 45% RH (Remove) None+10.1 gallons/day  −7.0 gallons/day  50 cfm +13.7 gallons/day −11.1gallons/day 100 cfm +17.2 gallons/day −15.42 gallons/day  200 cfm +24.4gallons/day −23.4 gallons/day 300 cfm +31.5 gallons/day −31.6gallons/day Maximum Acceptable Total Duct Leakage Per New ConstructionCodes Based on Total Air Conditioner Size (5% of 400 cfm/ton): 1.5 tons:30 cfm, 6 sq. in. 2.0 tons: 40 cfm, 8 sq. in. 2.5 tons: 50 cfm, 9 sq. in3.0 tons: 60 cfm, 11 sq. in. 3.5 tons: 70 cfm, 13 sq. in. 4.0 tons: 80cfm, 15 sq. in. 5.0 tons: 100 cfm, 19 sq. in. Or, if there is no airconditioning, 12.3 square inches (66 cfm) for all the duct systems inthe home, based on 3% of conditioned floor space in CFM25 CFM @ 50 PA =2,098 Air changes @ 50 PA = 9.833 ELA Reference Pressure = 25 PaInfiltrometer 9.0, Copyright Comfort Institute 2000-2003 All RightsReserved

As can be seen from the table, the number of air exchanges wasadditionally reduced by 0.45 from 13.21 to 12.76 for an additional 2%savings. This 2% savings was accomplished by sealing 3 waste lines and 6water lines or a total of 9 plumbing penetrations. Therefore, thesealing of the plumbing penetrations sealed 5% of the draft.

In summary, sealing all of the electrical penetrations and plumbingpenetrations with the present invention eliminated an astounding 44.5%of the draft! Further combining the sealing of the electrical andplumbing penetrations with the closing of the seal caps eliminated 48.5%of the draft!

The estimated cost savings for the fifth test are as follows based onthe previously stated average heating and electrical cost for aresidential unit in the U.S. If all of the home's electricalpenetrations are sealed with the insulator sheets according to thepresent invention, and a 22.8% savings is achieved, this results in asavings of $269.50 per year on the average American home based on an$1182.00 yearly heating bill. The average electric bill for aresidential unit in the U.S. is $1152.00 per year. Air conditioning onaverage accounts for 16% of an electric bill. Therefore, the airconditioning accounts for $184.32 of the total electrical bill for theyear. If all of the home's electrical penetrations are sealed with theinsulator sheets according to the present invention, and a 22.8% savingsis achieved, this results in a savings of $42.02 per year on theelectric bill for the average American home. By combining the heatingand electrical savings, an average of $311.52 is saved per year onheating and cooling if all of the home's electrical penetrations aresealed with the insulator sheets according to the present invention.

The insulators sheets of the present invention would be pre-cut by amanufacturer for most applications. However, it would by easy to custommake particular insulator sheets if necessary by cutting the desiredshape at the time of insulation. In this regard, the single and doubleblank insulator sheets are used for the rare electrical plate notincluded in the insulator product line. For example, a round airconditioning outlet is not a typical electrical plate. For thisapplication, the air conditioning electrical plate would be removed andplaced over the blank insulator with the paper side of the insulatorfacing up. The opening of the plate would then be traced. The tracedopening would then be cut with any type of scissors or other suitablecutting device. The adhesive back paper would be removed and theinsulator would be applied to the wall opening, with the adhesive sideto the wall. This seal would be effective since the cut opening issmaller than the plate opening and fits snugly around the electricaloutlet.

Further seals according to the present invention could be used for otherpotential openings in a home, including but not limited to electricalapparatus, including sockets, switches, telecommunication devices andspeakers, and openings for pipes and other conduits

Thus, homeowners or building owners can save on their energy consumptionyear round by the present invention. They can also eliminate excessiveindoor humidity and contaminants in the air. Furthermore, the presentinvention reduces carbon emissions which affect the environment in theform of global warming.

Having described the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that alterations and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention limited only by the appendedclaims.

1. A method for preventing or substantially reducing the amount of airlost from air infiltration through electrical penetrations in a home orbuilding comprising the steps of: locating the electrical penetrationsat the respective air infiltrations areas where air infiltration occurs,said electrical penetrations including electrical outlets, electricalswitches, outlets for telephone wires, outlets for cable televisionwires, outlets for computer wires, outlets for speakers, outlets forsecurity systems and outlets for telecommunication systems; applying aninsulator sheet across the respective air infiltration area of theelectrical penetrations, the insulator sheet comprising an imperviousflexible sheet material; and sealing said insulator sheet to a surfacedefining the respective air infiltration areas to prevent orsubstantially reduce air infiltration.
 2. A method for substantiallyreducing the amount of air lost from air infiltration through plumbingpenetrations in a home or building comprising the steps of: locating theplumbing penetrations at the respective air infiltration areas where airinfiltration occurs, said plumbing penetrations including water linesand waste lines; applying an insulator sheet across the respective airinfiltration areas of the plumbing penetrations, the insulator sheetcomprising an impervious flexible sheet material; sealing said insulatorsheet to a surface defining the respective air infiltration areas toprevent or substantially reduce air infiltration.
 3. A set of insulatorsheets for preventing or substantially reducing the amount of air lostfrom air infiltration through the respective conduit penetrations in ahome or building, each insulator sheet in said set of insulator sheetscomprising: an impervious, flexible cellular sheet for application tothe respective penetrations, said sheet having corresponding structureto the respective conduit penetrations to that which said sheet is to beapplied, said sheet including a hole for accommodating the respectiveconduit penetrations, said hole varying in size depending on the size ofthe respective conduit penetrations; and an adhesive on a surface ofsaid sheet for securing said sheet across an air infiltration area ofthe respective conduit penetrations without allowing any air passages tooccur; said set of insulator sheets reducing the amount of air lostthrough the respective penetrations as compared to the respective homeor building without said set of insulator sheets.
 4. A set of insulatorsheets according to claim 3, said adhesive comprising: a permanentpressure sensitive acrylic adhesive supported with a two sidepoly-coated semi-bleached kraft differential release liner; and a fireretardant.
 5. A set of insulator sheets for preventing or substantiallyreducing the amount of air lost from air infiltration through therespective conduit penetrations in a home or building, each of said setof insulator sheets comprising: an impervious, flexible cellular sheetfor application to the respective penetrations, said sheet havingcorresponding structure to the respective conduit penetrations to thatwhich said sheet is to be applied, said sheet including a hole foraccommodating the respective conduit penetrations, said hole varying insize depending on the size of the respective conduit penetrations, eachinsulator sheet in said set of insulator sheets comprising: anirradiation crosslinked polyethylene foam having a thickness of at least0.125 inches and a density of 2 pounds per cubit foot (pcf); and a 0.002inch thick permanent pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive supported witha two side poly coated semi-bleached kraft differential release linerfor applying and completely securing said respective cellular sheetacross an air infiltration area of each said respective conduitpenetrations without allowing any air passages to occur.